The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connector systems.
Connector systems having radio frequency (RF) electrical connectors have been used for numerous applications including military applications and automotive applications, such as global positioning systems (GPS), antennas, radios, mobile phones, multimedia devices, and the like. The connectors may be coaxial cable connectors that are provided at the ends of coaxial cables.
Some electrical connectors include housings that hold at least two different types of electrical contact subassemblies therein, and each electrical contact subassembly is electrically connected to a different type of cable. Such electrical connectors are referred to herein as “hybrid” electrical connectors, since different types of contact subassemblies are held in the same housing. For example, one type of contact subassembly may be a shielded contact subassembly, such as a coaxial contact subassembly, and another type may be an unshielded contact subassembly in which a terminal is not surrounded by a shielding component.
Known hybrid electrical connectors are not without disadvantages. Some hybrid electrical connectors are complex and include many different components that must be assembled together, which increases manufacturing and assembly costs. For example, in addition to the housing and the two or more contact subassemblies held within the housing, some hybrid electrical connectors include separate inserts (e.g., to engage and hold an unshielded contact subassembly in position). The separate insert may move (e.g., become bent or dislodged) relative to the housing, which may cause, for example, stubbing as a mating connector is mated to the electrical connector. The contact subassemblies may be held in the housing by respective latching mechanisms. In known hybrid electrical connectors, the latching mechanisms are not all properly supported by a locking component that prevents the contact subassemblies from undesirably being pulled out of the housing. A need remains for a connector system having hybrid electrical connectors that reduce stubbing, provide support for the latching mechanisms, reduce the total number of components, and simplify assembly relative to known hybrid electrical connectors.